Revenge Shocker: Mike Kelley Not Returning as Showrunner For Season 3

Revenge will be saying more than just one goodbye after its season two finale in May.

Creator Mike Kelley is stepping down as showrunner of ABC's hit drama, with the series creator calilng his departure "a difficult mutual decision" between him and the network, E! News confirmed Monday.

"Helming this series has been the ride of a lifetime," Kelley says in a statement. "And my producing partner, Melissa Loy, and I will look back on our Revenge time with deep gratitude and respect for Emily [VanCamp] and Madeleine [Stowe] and the rest of the incredible cast, our heroic crew, the dedicated and imaginative producing and writing team, and the tireless post-production department."

He adds, "I'm excited about finishing post-production on the season two finale, which I hope will stand among the best episodes of the series thus far. Continued success to all."

"Mike Kelley created a distinctive series for our studio and network with tremendous passion and dedication," read a statement from Barry Jossen, executive VP of creative and production at ABC Studios. "We wish him all the best as he moves on to his next television achievement."

Revenge has suffered a bit of a sophomore slump, with viewers growing restless with the Initiative storyline and Emily's lack of revenging, and sources tells Deadline that Kelley clashed with ABC after pushing for shorter seasons, wanting a cable model of 13 episodes as opposed to the standard 22 episodes.